The present disclosure generally relates to fire protection. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices that protect objects from damage or combustion when exposed to fire.
In the presence of a well-developed fire (such as a wild fire in a remote area or a building fire in an urban area), structures often join the main conflagration from ignition because of one or more factors. For example, ignition of the structures may be caused by: sparks and burning cinders being blown onto them, by spontaneous ignition due to their being superheated to an ignition point (such as due to absorption of infrared radiation), and/or by engulfment by the main fire.
The primary technique for preventing ignition of structures in the case of wild fires is prevention. For example, local ordinances often require the clearing of brush, weeds, trees, free wood and other combustibles in areas around structures in rural or fire-prone areas.
Once a wild fire is established, evacuations are generally ordered for areas in the path of the fire, and fire prevention and suppression is turned over to trained firefighting crews. In the case of wild fires, the firefighting crews often use dropped fire retardants, aerial water drops, fire lines and other techniques to extinguish fires.
As a wild fire approaches structures, the firefighting crews create fire lines (i.e., areas that are devoid of combustible materials) to keep the encroaching fires at a distance in an attempt to prevent secondary ignition. When water or fire-retardant chemicals are available, the firefighting fire crews will also treat the structures (and the surrounding areas) with the water or the fire-retardant chemicals to prevent secondary ignition.
One of the last defensive techniques is to directly apply water to the structures so that, if secondary ignition occurs because of sparks or rising temperatures, the fire is suppressed at the time of ignition. However, in the event of restrictions on resources or a low probability of successful fire control, structures may be abandoned to the flames.
In the cases of urban fires, firefighting crews principally use water to control the ignition of adjacent buildings. As in the case of the wild fires, the water is liberally and continuously applied.
In each of these scenarios, preventing secondary ignition of structures involves the commitment of resources, in terms of manpower and water. Because these resources are often limited, these firefighting efforts represent a major drain on resources and can complicate firefighting efforts. In addition, in the event that the firefighting efforts are unsuccessful, there is a considerable burden in terms of lost property, financial and emotional damage, and loss of life.
Hence, there is a need for improved an improved technique for protecting structures (and, more generally, objects) from fire.